Chasing the Dragon
by The-Heart-Worships
Summary: New Moon era. Bella has hit rock bottom. She refuses to move back with Renee so instead runs off to find Edward by herself. She submerges herself in the dark corners of the world, facing danger and her own demons on the way. Will rate this M/MA for now.
1. Spirits

**1. Spirits**

I woke up, trying to stretch out the stiff ache that seemed to touch every part of my body when the tidal wave of nausea hit. I bolted for the bathroom, one hand clamped tightly around my mouth, hoping that I would make it in time. I prayed that Charlie was still asleep as I wretched over the toilet bowl, choking spasms rushing from my stomach to my throat, tears streaming down my face as I tried to force up the now all too familiar burn of last nights vodka. I tried to remember what had happened, what I had done, but it was all an alcohol fuelled blur. I remember Charlie being called out to a major accident on the freeway, me seizing my chance and running from the house only moments after he'd left. I had carried my secret prize in my left hand and jumped into my truck. Roaring the engine to life I had drove up the secluded roads to _his _house, opened my bottle and drank. I don't even know how I got home.

The bathroom door slammed open then, hitting the side of the shower cubicle in a loud ricochet. I couldn't bear to turn, to see that look on Charlie's face as he took in the sight of his once again hung over teenage daughter. I heard him mutter under his breath, I was sure I didn't want to know what he'd said and stomp down the stairs. He came back a few moments later with a glass of water and placed it by my side.

"Get yourself cleaned up" was all he said before he left, too early, to go work.

****

"_Bella" _Renee's voice came hard over the other end of the telephone. _"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying to you?" _It felt like me and my Mom had had this same conversation a million times. I don't know why she was still even bothering. Nothing made any difference. Nothing could take away the tearing, searing agony that ripped through my chest every second of every day. Sure, the alcohol numbed it but only for a time. I sighed deeply in response.

"Yes, Mom, I get it." She was threatening, again, to come and get me. To take me to Florida to live with her. Once upon a time this had garnered some sort of reaction from me and her, Charlie and my step dad Phil were all counting on it making some sort of difference, but it had soon stopped working. The only thing that would work is if they could somehow bring _him _back. I stopped there. I couldn't think of him now. I couldn't risk the pain.

"I'm sorry honey, but this has gone too far and it has to stop now. I'm putting my foot down this time, the plane tickets are already booked, we'll be there to pick you up tomorrow. You need help, and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand back and not do a thing as my daughter slowly destroys herself for nothing." I stopped breathing. No. They couldn't do this. Forks was the one place on Earth I could be close to him. If they took me away, I would loose him forever.

"Well, your just going to have to _un_-book them because I'm not going _anywhere _with you, I'm _not_ leaving Forks." My voice was tight, sharp. How had I got myself in this situation? How had it come to be that I would risk loosing my family for somebody that didn't love me? That had stopped loving me long ago.

"Bel…" I didn't even bother listening to what my Mom was going to say, just slammed down the phone in a rage that caused my body to shake. I ran up the stairs and into my bedroom. I pulled my bag from the top of the wardrobe and began shoving clothes into it, not even looking at what I was packing, the tears blinding me. I dug around in my drawer, pulling the stash of money out that was once meant to have been my college fund, found my passport and an unopened bottle of vodka and dashed from the house. I didn't know where I was going. I did, however, know what I was looking for. Edward Cullen. My life, soul and reason. The vampire, who, so many months ago left me broken. My parents couldn't take me out of Forks, but I could take myself. I would travel the world three times over if it meant I could end up back in his cold, hard arms. I remembered the feel of his icy breath against my lips and stopped short. Slamming the accelerator of my truck to the floor, I swerved off Charlie's drive way, pushing the ancient vehicle to its speed limit as quickly as I could manage. I didn't look back. It would only be a matter of hours before Charlie came home from the station and realised I was gone. I knew the only chance I had of him not finding me was to put as many miles between us as was possible in the short space of time I had. My hands shook with an emotion I didn't recognise. It couldn't be relief, although I was sure it came close. The feeling of actually _doing _something to remedy the way I had been feeling these long, lonely months was short of euphoric. My mind was whirling, a thousand different thoughts coming together at once. My 'college fund' was just short of three thousand dollars. Having a job, no social life and a desire to buy nothing but the cheapest, strongest bottle of spirits I could find had to some degree paid off in the end. The only thing I was sure of was that I would start at the airport in Seattle. I would catch the next flight that I could, wherever it was that would take me. I had no real idea how I was going to find Edward, or any of the Cullen's for that matter. I thought I would come across as just a little insane if I approached strangers in the street. "Have you seen this vampire" I said grimly to myself. I giggled, feeling on the verge of hysteria. Maybe if he hadn't taken the photos of him from my last birthday this could have been my starting point. Passed him off as a missing family member, somebody I was desperate to be reunited with. The latter part of course was true. But I knew I had to do this quietly and draw no attention to myself. I couldn't risk being found. And I was quite sure that to find somebody in hiding, I would first have to hide myself. The thought of dark back alleys began to fill my mind. Sleeping rough. Drug dealers, mafia bosses and murderers. Of course, I would never find _him _in a place like that but they were the places that I would now have to unwillingly submerge myself. I took one long, deep breath, steadying myself as I began the journey to find my destiny.


	2. James

I boarded the plane that would take me to Texas. It would be four hours before I landed and I was sure Houston would be a big enough place to loose myself in. Charlie would find out where I had gone, but I was sure he wouldn't be able to find me if I lay low for a while. After this I would find a way of keeping him off my trail. I would hitchhike; get a fake passport, anything that would keep me hidden from him. I still wasn't sure what I would do when I arrived but I had plenty of time to think up some kind of plan.

I was bouncing with agitation by the time we took off. I watched from the window as the city below me became smaller by the second and thought, without regret, of what I was leaving behind. It had taken me over three hours to make the journey from Forks to Seattle but less than half an hour to find a flight with free seats that would be departing in the next hour. I knew I only had a couple more hours left before Charlie got home and began the hunt. And a day or so before Renee and Phil arrived to join him.

I thought of where they would begin to look for me and was comforted by the fact that Charlie didn't know I had a passport so the airport would not be his first port of call. I imagined he would begin by phoning around, asking if anybody had seen me. It wouldn't take long for him to start panicking. I felt a slight twinge of guilt when I realised how much pain this would cause him. My Father had never been anything but patient and kind to me and this was how I was repaying him.

****

We had been in the air for some time and I was still having difficulty calming down. My mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan of action. If I was totally honest with myself, I knew I wouldn't have a clue what I was going to do until I actually arrived. So against my will I let myself drift off into an uncomfortable, disturbed sleep.

I dreamt fitfully. In one dream I was back in Phoenix, never having moved to Forks, going about my daily mundane life. School, friends who weren't friends, and a Mother who adored me.

The next I was in a forest, running, though from what I wasn't sure. I could feel the close electric air around me as the dark jade trees loomed over my head, and the eerie stillness roared in my ears. I could sense the damp earth under my feet, soft bouncing moss and tree roots that could cause me to loose footing at any moment, and then he appeared.

Edward.

Arms open, reaching out for me and as glorious as the first time I had set eyes on him. His snow white skin was glistening slightly as stray rays of sunshine broke in through the canopy. He was beckoning me, his voice soft and smooth as velvet.

"Bella" he said. "You'll find me, Bella."

I ran as quickly as I could but it felt as if my legs weren't moving. All I could think about was reaching him and being safe, happy again but whenever it looked like I was nearly there, the distance between us would grow, and I would be back where I began. My arms flayed towards him, begging him to come closer, to just let me touch him and then, finally, I was there. My hands reaching towards him, his scorching eyes looking straight through me as he disappeared.

I was woke with a start by the pilot announcing we would soon be landing. I fastened my belt as we began the descent on the impossibly huge city.

*****

It was late evening and I was sat alone in a burger bar nursing a chocolate milkshake. I hadn't eaten anything since this morning, and although my stomach was crying out for food I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it down. The smell of grease wafting around the disjointed building had been enough to make this mornings nausea come creeping back. Perhaps I would find somewhere else to eat later on or maybe just have a liquid meal, I still had the bottle of vodka buried in the bottom of my bag.

Despite this, my biggest problem was going to be a matter of sleeping arrangements. I didn't want to spend my first night alone out on the streets but I didn't want to risk putting myself even more on the grid. Charlie would know by now where I was after using his police sources to track me down.

The only plan I had was getting a bus to a motel as far out of town as possible, paying cash and using a false name. I felt like a criminal on the run. I knew of course that this wasn't the case, but if I were to tell any unsuspecting person my plan this would be the first conclusion they would jump to. I smiled at that as I pushed the straw through the congealed brown ice cream floating around my shake.

I thought of the differences between being a criminal and just being so desperately heart broken, of suffering such a crushing, ripping agony that it could no longer be contained. I pulled my arms around my stomach and chest, willing myself to breathe normally, trying to stop the dizzying panic.

I missed him, this I could admit to myself. If I didn't then why would I still feel this way every time I thought of him, every time he crept through the barriers I had built up to protect myself. These barriers always came down when I was drunk though, and I suppose it's why I began drinking. I could think of him but be numb at the same time. If I tried to do it while sober this was how I ended up.

I looked around me then, and noticed that people were staring. I hadn't realised I was making a scene of myself. I buried my head in my arms on the table to conceal the blushing redness I could feel making its way to my face. I felt a hand on my head then and my heart began to beat faster.

For a brief moment I thought I had already found him but the touch was too warm, too human.

"Are you okay missy?" a southern drawl broke through my fantasy.

I looked up to see a tall man in about his mid thirties looking at me with soft, concerned eyes. They were almost black in their depths, almost the same colour as his hair. His skin had an odd complexion about it. It looked smooth yet almost wrinkled, like he would soon be showing the signs of early aging.

He wore a white t shirt which off set his natural dark palette. He had light, tatty jeans full of holes with two larger ones at the knees patched up with a shade of denim that didn't match. He wore large black boots. Work boots I recognised. He could almost of passed for a construction worker grabbing something quick before a night shift, all that was missing was the hard hat.

"Y..Yes" I stammered through jagged breaths.

"Well, you sure don't look it, you want anything? I can fetch you a glass of water if you'd like, would do you much better than that gloop you got in there."

"No…thank…you." I still couldn't breathe and he really wasn't helping my cause.

"Alrighty then, how about I just sit here with you. Would do me the world of good to get some company. Folks around this place are awful rude if you don't know them. I'm James, by the way."

He held out a hand for me to shake. I took it and gripped a bit too tight, glad, I think for the interaction. It had been a long time since I could remember feeling genuine affection from a stranger and it seeped from this man like air.

"Bella" I said.

"Bella" He repeated. "Nice to meet you. What brings you to the city of Houston then?" this had been the question I was dreading. My mind filled with possible answers. I could, of course give him the truth;

"_I'm on the run from my family because I've slowly been turning into an alcoholic since my nearly one hundred year old vampire boyfriend told me he didn't love me anymore. My Mother was coming to take me away from the only place that I felt close to him so decided instead to travel the world on under three thousand dollars until I found him again because I know that if I have to live another moment without him then my body will fall to pieces"._

I somehow thought if I told him this I would end up in a padded cell back home so I just muttered "travelling". It was as close to the truth as I could dare go.

He looked me up and down then. "All alone?"

"Yeah." I answered. "I wanted to see the world but nobody else did." My breathing was almost back to normal by now. For some reason I trusted this man I had only just met. His eyes spoke to me in a strange, comforting way.

"A little young to be travelling the streets of Texas on your own, don't you think?"

"I don't think so, no. I'm eighteen." I lifted my head, defiant. I was, in the eyes of the law, an adult. There was nothing stopping me from going where I wanted, when I wanted with or without whomever I chose. He laughed then, a deep, warm sound that caused the space around him to radiate with joy. Try as I may, I couldn't fight the twitching corners of my mouth, and I found myself laughing too. It felt odd to me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd laughed and actually meant it.

"Feisty" the way he said it was almost seductive. I shook that thought from my mind. He wasn't interested. Nobody would be interested in this haggard, sallow girl and I didn't want anybody but the person I was looking for.

"Where is it that your staying?" his question caught me off guard as I still didn't know myself.

"Nowhere" I answered honestly. "I want to end up where the road takes me."

He smiled at this, ever so slightly and looked me deep in the eyes. "Well then ma'am how about you just come stay with me a few days. No funny business, mind. But it would do me no harm knowing that you got a safe roof over your head. I'll be out at work most the day so you won't have to worry about gettin' under my feet and you'll be free to leave whenever you're ready."

My mouth fell open slightly and I closed it quickly before I thought he'd noticed. Could he be serious? Was he really offering me a place to stay? He'd only been speaking to me for a couple of minutes, nobody could possibly be that trusting of a stranger. Except, obviously, me.

"I'd be glad to" the words were out of my mouth before I'd even had a chance to think about it. Stupid Bella, you stupid, stupid girl. My Dad had taught me plenty about 'stranger danger' and here I was, breaking the most important rule of them all. Never, ever, take what they offer.

James stood up in one heaving movement and extended his hand out to me.

"Well, we best be goin' then." And with that, I was out the door and face to face with the dark Texan evening.


	3. Drunk

_**AN – Sorry it's taken so long to update this, things have been busy. Hope you guys enjoy! **__****_

**3. Drunk**

James' house was about an hours drive from the food joint. It was on a quiet secluded road, quite a distance from the main freeway. He only had three other neighbours and his front yard was full of old, beautiful trees that bent low, branches almost touching the earth. As I walked in I was greeted by a small, pale hallway. Hanging my coat up on one of the few pegs and kicking my shoes into the corner I followed his lead through the only visible door.

The living room was surprisingly large, with dark sumptuous décor, a complete contrast to the hallway. On the far right hand side of the room sat an old corner sofa covered with cushions and blankets, above it was an immense mirror framed with ornate gold that twisted and turned in complicated directions. Underneath my bare feet the carpet felt inches thick, you could almost sink into it.

The main wall in the room was lined with shelves, all of which were filled with a chaotic range of books in all shapes and sizes; they didn't appear to be in any particular order.

"No TV?" this seemed odd to me. I had never been in a house where the television wasn't the main focal point of the lounge.

"Nope. I'm not much of a TV person, prefer to read. You don't mind that do you? There's a TV in the kitchen though if you ever wanna watch."

"That's okay; I'm more of a reader too." I smiled at him, it seemed me and him were going to get a long just fine. Which was just as well, because I was sure once I'd curled up on that settee I would never move from it.

"You want anything? You look like you're in need of a good shower."

"Oh, God, that would be amazing, thank you."

He laughed that same joyful sound from earlier. "Follow me then, and I'll get you everything you need. Show you to your room too."

"My room?"

"Well, yeah, you think I'm just going to have you sleep on the floor?"

"The sofa actually, but there you go."

"Ha-ha! I'm not fool enough to let guests go without sufficient accommodation."

Suddenly, my head was reeling. The way he'd spoken had sounded so much like Edward I had almost heard the velvet undertones to his voice. My hands clamped to my chest again and the room began to spin. Without warning the tears overflowed, sending gushing streams down my cheeks. James wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me gently to the sofa. He hushed me soothingly, rocking me back and forth and he asked over and over what was wrong.

"I'm s..s..so so..rr..y." was all I could manage through the tears.

**************

It was coming up to midnight and I was curled up on James' sofa, wearing the old sweats that I'd packed, staring into nothingness. James had gone to bed about two hours ago claming he had work in the morning and needed to get some sleep. He'd wished me a good night and told me not to stay up too late.

I reflected the night's events, giving each not so distant memory the most considerable amount of thought I possibly could without cringing. James had eventually given up trying to get sense out of me and had just left me there to cry myself out. I still had no idea how long my outburst had lasted for but was thankful James had been there to help; I'm not sure what I would have done if he hadn't been.

It felt like nothing I had ever felt before. One minute I and James were talking and the next it was as if the ripping had turned to shredding. I had been convinced that my heart was going to burst out of my chest right there in front of me and as terrifying a thought as that had been the thing that had scared me the most was that I was absolutely certain that if it did, I would find out it was no longer beating.

Looking back now, I knew this was nonsense, that it was nothing more than exhaustion and guilt. The guilt of the pain I was now causing my family, ten times worse than the damage I'd already inflicted. My thoughts drifted to Charlie. I hoped he was alright, that he was sleeping.

I knew he wouldn't be.

I knew he would be lying in his bed staring at the dark ceiling and praying that I was alive and well. It hurt to consider but I knew it was the truth. I let out an unwilling moan, swallowing the lump in my throat.

James had not asked for an answer, just set me upright, took me and my bag upstairs and told me to jump right on in the shower when I was ready. I'd come back to find him sat in the exact place that I' am now, a pizza box balancing on his leg and a not so innocent looking grin on his face. He offered me a slice and we'd ate in silence for few minutes until he spoke up, asking a million questions about me.

He'd wanted to know about my family, how much money I was travelling with, did I have any idea where I was going, my hometown, the reason why I'd moved to Forks. I supposed it was only to be expected and I gratefully let him know the answers, as far from the truth as I could manage. As much as I trusted him, I didn't feel entirely comfortable telling my life story to a stranger, no matter how kind they were.

Once he realised that his questions were beginning to wear me down James had began telling me about himself. He was born and raised in Little Elm and had moved to Houston after he'd graduated looking to train as a Police officer but failed the entry exam and ended up working for a small construction company, working his way up until he was building manager and then moved on to start his own business.

He mainly built houses but was willing to try anything within reason. He said he'd had no real relationships "determined to remain a bachelor" were his exact words.

We'd spoke about almost everything apart from my outburst, and I was thankful to James for this. He seemed to know I wasn't going to talk about it no matter how much he asked.

I gave sleeping a go, but failed, my mind was moving at a million miles per hour.

I was about to get up to grab myself a glass of water when I suddenly remembered the bottle of vodka I'd brought with me. Half way between sitting and standing I deliberated with myself. James had given me a roof over my head, no matter how temporary, I couldn't repay him by getting drunk on his sofa in the middle of the night and more than likely causing a nuisance of myself.

I tried to get my body to sit back down but the lure of the alcohol and the desire to feel is numbing burn was overwhelming and before I truly understood what I was doing I was half way up the stairs.

Attempting to be as quiet as possible– I didn't want to wake James – I crept across his guest room to the bed where my bag lay open, half the contents scattered. I reached into it, feeling about in the dark for the familiar shape of the bottle. Unwrapping it from a t shirt I clutched it tightly, afraid to hold too far from myself in case it ran off, and headed back to the sofa.

With the first fiery gulps the pain began to dull. The alcohol coursing through my body was churning my empty stomach but I didn't care. Soon I would be anaesthetized to the throbbing anguish I felt every sober second away from Edward. I clung to the bottle like it was my lifeline and each swig took me closer to him.

I watched carefully as the lines between reality and blurry dream like state began to thin, as the room spinning dizziness increased and I could no longer feel my body, leaving it a limp and disorientated mess.

Soon my chin was touching my chest as I struggled to keep my head upright, forcing myself to stay awake, not for fear of falling asleep and chocking on my vomit but to keep the almost perfect vision of Edward that had sculpted itself behind my eyelids.

He had appeared gradually. Every part of him coming more into focus the drunker I got. I had watched as his angel like face took form, his golden eyes smouldering into nothingness. His body – exquisite - was so clear that I felt if I reached out I could pull him next to me. Right now I wanted more than anything to feel his icy, hard chest against mine. Holding his gaze with mine as our lips moved together and his hands traced along my body, forcing every part of me to memory.

I smiled. It was good to revisit those times.

What would he do if he could see me now?

I saw the expression of anguish that I knew all to well would distort his features if he could see me in this state. I knew the harshness his voice would take on as he told me how stupid I had been. How he would gather me up, wrap himself protectively around me as the alcohol wore off.

The tears came slowly this time, not like earlier. They slid onto my hands as I drained the very last of the vodka, struggling to keep it to my mouth.

I lay on my back across the sofa, my arm flopping to the floor and one hand curled defiantly around my empty bottle. Drifting in and out of consciousness I thought I heard the floorboards above creak.

Surely James couldn't be awake yet.

I forced my head to turn and closed one eye fighting my drunken focus, the clock read three am. No, James should still be asleep. Maybe he'd just gone to the bathroom. I hoped he hadn't come downstairs and saw me like this.

I felt it then. The gentle movement against the inside of my thigh. I tried to brush it off but I met something warm and soft.

A hand. A mans hand.

My entire body froze. I was limp and hopeless from the alcohol.

James whispered.

"You're awake. That's good. I won't feel like so much of a bad guy now."


	4. Attacked

_**AN – This chapter is only short, sadly. I did carry it on but it just seemed best to leave it where I did, the final part felt like a natural way to leave off. Also, a word of warning, this chapter is quite graphic but I hope you'll enjoy it either way!**_

**4. Attacked**

My mind was screaming at my body to move, to just do something. His hand crept further up my thigh and I could hear his ragged breathing inching closer to my face every second.

"You're not going to scream now are you Bella, girl?"

I couldn't answer.

"You gotta understand that I feel just terrible doing this but your lost and vulnerable act worked too well."

"_Stupid Bella. You stupid, stupid girl"_

The words I'd thought to myself earlier that evening when James had offered his house to me for the night came flooding back. I was screaming them to myself over and over as he pulled himself upright and began heaving his huge body on top of me.

Tears. More tears. I didn't think I had any left, but I could feel them pricking at my eyes again. This could not be happening to me.

"You could try moving, saying something, it's more fun that way or is this your first time? Go on make my dreams come true and tell me it is."

I gagged at his words. My first time would not, could not be rape. I began writhing beneath him, futile as it was, this was my attempt at escape. He moaned into my ear. Clearly, he thought I had given in, that I would give him what he wanted. I dug my nails into his shoulders and using all my strength tried to force him away from me. He moaned louder.

"Get OFF me!" I sounded pathetic. As far from intimidating as you could get but it was so hard with him pushing the wind out from my stomach.

He shoved himself up on his arms and grabbed my pants at the waist, pulling them down. In the darkness I could make out his silhouette, see the outline of his mouth pulled up into a manic grin. I kicked out against him, hitting him several times in the chest but it made no difference. The more I struggled the more he groaned. He grabbed my hand then and pulled it towards himself, shoving my hand down his boxers. I bit my lip to hold in the scream, I couldn't let him enjoy it anymore than he was. His hand clasped around mine as he made me rub his erection, his pelvis grinding to the motion.

"James, please, get off" I couldn't fight the sobs now and the tears ran freely down my face.

He pushed himself back against me, kissing me roughly on my neck up to my cheekbones and towards my ear. I let out a pained sob remembering the last time somebody had touched me this way. It had been so different, so tender.

"What's the matter girl? Don't you like it this way?"

"Get…off…m…e"

The fingers of my left hand began to twitch around the neck of the empty bottle I still held. Tonight it seemed that alcohol would be my saviour in one way or another.

With all the strength I could muster I brought my arm up into the air and with a whoosh, the glass connected with James' head. The sound was unbearable as the thick end of bottle made contact with a loud thud and the shards of glass came flying down around us both. James began screaming and thrashing, disorientated. I could feel the remains of the bottle on the sofa, across my chest and imbedded into my bare legs, it didn't hurt.

"What the fuck have you done?! What did you do?! Oh Jesus Christ" James was yelling as I banged another stiff kick into his chest and then his face, knocking him back from the sofa and landing him on the carpet.

I stood up to run but he grabbed me by the ankle and I landed with a thud on top of him. He gripped his hands around my waist and tried to force himself into me while I gauged at his face with my nails. I could feel the blood running from his head and down his face. Surely I should have knocked him unconscious? If I had hit him with enough force to break the bottle he should be out cold. It seemed these things didn't have rules after all.

"Let me GO! JAMES LET ME GO!"

I was as sober as I could be now, at least, I felt it. Adrenaline and danger did funny things to your body. I could feel the strength returning to me, feel the power of flight coursing through my muscles as James tried to roll me over and climb back on top of me.

I pushed away from him with all of my will, gaining the upper hand and ending up on my feet again. I rained down on him with violent kicks to the ribs, my brutality scared me, I didn't know I was capable of this.

As James reeled on the floor, his hands clutching himself tightly I seized my moment. This could be my only chance of escape.

I ran for the door and into the empty night.


	5. Revenge

The wind burnt my cheeks and made my eyes water as I ran, but I didn't care. I didn't care that I was barefoot or that I had no pants on, I just kept running as quickly as I could, blood dripping down my legs from the glass stuck into my skin.

Was James following me yet? Was I safe? When could I stop running? I would run forever if it carried on taking me further away from him.

The miles meant nothing though; this is something I realised even now.

What James had done would never escape me, and although I had got away with not only my life but my virginity still safely mine, I would never be able to get rid of what had happened.

I could hear cars in the distance. I was coming closer to the freeway, something I didn't want. Somebody would surely stop if they saw me like this, I couldn't risk ending up in a police cell Charlie would surely find me then.

The irony of it all made me laugh as I swung a right, still running through the quiet neighbourhood. I had been assaulted and nearly raped yet the worst thing I could imagine right now was the police finding me.

Edward Cullen, what have you done?

I would never have even dreamed of putting myself into a situation like this before he'd come along, and now here I was running half naked and alone through the streets of a strange city.

Suddenly an irrepressible urge that something was wrong again planted me on the spot. I hadn't planned on stopping for a very long time, so surely the thought of more danger should have pushed my legs further ahead.

Danger magnet. I laughed again as I remembered Edward calling me this. Isabella Swan, his personal danger junkie, except I never went looking for the near death experiences, they found me.

I was stood in an alley way between two tall apartment blocks in what looked like the wrong side of town. But James' house had been so nice, it didn't make any sense. I pushed the thought of my attacker to the back of my mind as I heard a rustle in the darkness. My eyes darted from left to right trying to find the source of the noise but there was no light, not even from the moon.

I let out a pathetic attempt at a scream as I caught a swift movement in my peripheral vision only to come crashing back down to earth as I saw a rat run across my path and I heaved a sigh of relief, letting my muscles relax and sank down towards the ground. I really didn't want my bare skin against the cold, dirty floor but I all of a sudden ached and the throbbing from the glass in my legs was unbearable.

I felt sick; a crushing nausea weighing in my stomach as what had happened came crashing down on me. I crawled onto my knees and threw up, groaning as I fell and laying flat on my back, stared at the cloudless sky.

I was nearly raped.

I had very nearly lost one of the most precious things in my world, something that through it all I still knew I was saving for Edward. To think that my one gift to him had come so close to being savagely stolen made my chest want to burst with anger.

Who did James think he was?! How had I been so stupid, so blind to think that all he had cared about was my safety?! I wished I had just stayed home, waited for Renee and Phil to come and get me, take me back to Florida and just be rid of Edward Cullen for good. He caused me too much pain. But I loved him and I knew in my heart of hearts that I wouldn't have just been able to sit there and do nothing. I knew I was meant to find him somehow because he would never come back. It was up to me to reunite us.

"Edward, you're a stubborn old fool." Great, I was talking to myself now. "A _very old _stubborn fool."

"My dear, a fool is born a fool, and age will do nothing to change that."

I shot up onto my feet at the sound of the unfamiliar female voice. It had come from the darkest corner of the alley, and I strained my eyes to try and make out a shadow, anything that could show me who it was.

"Who's there?" I held my breath. Did I really want to know the answer?

A soft laugh, male this time, came from the same direction.

"You really don't want to know who we are, sweet, but you do want to know what we're going to do with you."

"Peter, hush now, you'll scare the poor child. Listen to her heart fly."

Listen to my heart fly? I'm sure I had heard that somewhere once before, a long time ago in happier days. Although I could hear the sound of my pulse thudding in my ears they couldn't possibly hear it from all the way over there, unless…

No, they couldn't be.

The female came to stand in front of me, moving with lightening speed. She was beautiful and without thinking I gasped.

"I know the eyes are alarming, but don't let them worry you…"

I looked at her eyes now and they were a glistening, blood red. Deep set and wide. She put her hand against my cheek and stroked her finger across my jaw line and onto my neck. She was ice cold, and it was so familiar, so comforting that I let out a moan. Peter, her mate, had come over to join us now and was staring at me with the same red eyes, thirst written all over his face. He was as beautiful as she was with dark hair and a striking nose, his back straight and proud as he leaned in closer and took a long sniff at the gently moving air.

"She smells divine, Charlotte."

Peter. Charlotte.

I let out another gasp as I realised who these two were. I had heard Alice and Jasper talk about them once. They were friends of Jasper from his life before the Cullen's. Surely they could help me.

"Vampire's." The word had rushed out of my mouth before I'd even had time to think it through.

They both took a step back, a sudden expression of shock overriding the obvious thirst. If this was the only way I had of saving myself then this is what I would do. Surely they would help if they knew who I was.

"She's clever." I heard Peter mutter.

"How do you know?" Charlotte was hesitating towards me. Her wide eyes looking me up and down, trying to make sense of the situation. I doubted they had come across something like this for centuries. People just didn't believe in the supernatural anymore.

"You eye's" I whispered. "And your skin, it's so cold. And your both so…so…beautiful."

My gaze still hadn't left them. I was drinking them in, somewhere in my subconscious I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming joy at being in the presence of Edward's kind. And although it was obvious what they wanted from me, I felt that for as long as they stood there I was back with him. They were proof that Edward was real and I was terrified of letting them leave, as stupid as it sounded.

"I know your kind." They both looked at me then.

"How is that, my dear?" Charlotte's voice had taken on a softer note and I wasn't sure what this meant. Did this mean I was safe?

"Cullen." It was all I could manage to say.

The two vampires looked at each other and then at me. Shock had turned to confusion and then to understanding in the blink of an eye.

"You know the Cullen family?" Peter asked incredulous.

"Yes, my name is Bella Swan." I wasn't sure how them knowing my name would help, had they even spoken to Jasper recently? Did they know they Cullen's had left Forks?

"Isabella? You're Edward's human mate?"

"Yes, well…at least…I was…" the sentence trailed off. Maybe they wouldn't be able to help after all, but at least they knew who I was which I had to admit was promising.

"You were? Explain please, child."

Sucking in a breath, I went on to recount the tale I had told no one. I told it from the very beginning, my dreaded eighteenth birthday party. How I had cut myself on the gift wrap, Jaspers reaction and then Edward's leaving me. I relived the anguish and it felt good, like I had finally got something off my chest, a burdening weight I had carried around for too long suddenly lifted.

Peter and Charlotte were stone still as I spoke, their only reactions a slight shake of the head every now and then. Neither of them asked any questions.

"Poor Jasper." Charlotte's head hung low, her eyes to the ground. "I can only begin to imagine how he must be feeling right now. How he must have felt that night." I was sure if vampires could cry, she would have done just that. Peter put his arm around her shoulder to comfort her, rubbing his hand against the top of her arm.

"But Bella…" Peter stopped before he'd really began. He looked unsure all of a sudden. Sucking in a breath he continued. "How did you end up here? Looking like this…" He waved a hand up and down my body and I felt the blush rising from my neck to my face. I'm sure I saw the couple both crouch into hunting stance but shook the thought from my mind.

"I ran away" I stated simply. What other reason could I give?

"But child, you must know that you cannot run from your problems. You're family! What must they be thinking right now?!" Charlotte reminded me in all intents and purposes of Esme. It appeared to me now that the maternal instinct imbedded in all women is not something to ever leave you, even when you're body and mind are changed so drastically.

"I wasn't running from my problems. I'm running to find Edward, to bring him back, to stop this hurting, this…this…agony. I need him."

Charlotte moved herself from Peters grasp and put her arm around me. I couldn't imagine the strength this simple action must be taking her.

"Isabella, my love. I can only begin to imagine what you're going through. If anybody took Peter away from me I would never be able to live alone, I would walk the Earth a thousand times to be reunited with him, but that it something I can do. Something that is in my power. You cannot do this alone. And so…underdressed." She smiled at her last words and I couldn't help but smile too. No matter the circumstances that had led to my undress, the way she said it had made hope seem real in the most unimaginable of ways.

"Surely you must have a bag?" Peter spoke again now; he had been quiet for some time, seemingly trying to think all of this through. I hoped he was formulating a plan for me, however unlikely it was.

"I do…I…did." I hung my head low. "It's in a place I don't wish to go back to." The muscles in my body tensed. I would never put myself in James' path again.

"How so?"

"I…accepted a man's offer of his home for the evening." It was the only way I could think to word it.

"Oh, my dear, what did he do to you?!"

The sobs heaved from my body again, I couldn't control them.

"He…he…he tr…ie…d to… ra..ra…pe me."

Charlotte began rocking me back and forth in an attempt to comfort me. I could hear the two vampires speaking.

"Peter, we have to help her."

"I know, my sweet, I know. Any friend of Jasper's must be a friend of ours also. It's just so…strange."

"Surely we could do something, no matter her…condition."

"But her BLOOD Charlotte, the smell is driving me wild."

This was the last thing I needed to hear right now being so close to Charlotte. I was sure she was under control but Peter's words made the reality of the situation hit me. These were not the vampire's I was familiar with. They were blood drinkers. They fed from humans.

And I was human…

Charlotte turned her attention back to me. "Hush now, Bella. We're going to help you."

Had she completely ignored Peter's words? Did she not understand the danger I was in from him, from her, right now, or was this part of the process? Were they going to feed from me anyway?

I heard an excited hiss. Secret conversations were not something I missed from my days with Edward and I had never wanted to hear one as much in my life as I did at that moment.

Charlotte pulled me up and looked me deep in the eyes.

"You have to show us how to get to the man who hurt you."

"I'm not sure I know the way…" I hung my head. "I ran as quickly as I could after what happened. I didn't look where I was going, just went where my legs took me."

"Understandable." The moon had crept through the clouds now and I could see a slight glint in Peter's eye. Was he enjoying this?

"Peter, this is not the time for immaturity. Its okay, Bella. We'll follow your scent as much as we can, but there is no guarantee that it'll lead us all the way there so you'll have to keep your eyes open to as much as you possibly can. We're going to help you."

And with that I was on Charlotte's back and running once again through the dark, unfamiliar streets of Texas.

As we ran, I couldn't help but think about Jasper. I hadn't really thought much about him since Edward left but I knew that I didn't blame him for what had happened. I loved Jasper like a brother and no matter what that wouldn't change; I wished Edward had given me the chance to say this to him. Charlotte was right; Jasper must have felt terrible for what he had done. I needed to let him know, one day, some way or another that I didn't place the blame on him, that he needn't carry any guilt because I knew he would until the moment I told him otherwise.

Both Peter and Charlotte stopped it was like a car hitting the breaks at a hundred. We stood outside James' house, all sense of safety and happiness I had felt the last time I was in this spot had vanished and I trembled.

"This is the place?" I wasn't sure why Peter was asking, he knew it was.

"I can hear him. He's…crying."

Crying? He was crying? The fear was replaced by anger in that second. After what James had done to me, he was sat in his house crying! I couldn't feel remorse for him, it was impossible.

Charlotte began to slowly walk towards the door, Peter behind her.

"Isabella, when we go inside I want you to get your bag and come straight back out. You must wait for us by the tree over there." Charlotte pointed to the tree that had looked beautiful to me only hours earlier, now it terrified me. "This is not something you need to see…" She smiled at me and I knew what they were going to do and she was right, I didn't want to see it. I had once wanted to watch Edward hunt, but this I was sure would be far too much for me.

Charlotte twisted the door handle and gave a slight nudge with her shoulder causing the door to fall open as easily as if she had used the key. I stood on the step, reluctant to go any further but Peter took my hand and led me in, urging me to be as quiet as I could. We walked, as three, towards the living room door. Charlotte was right, James was crying. I could hear him sobbing softly against the slowing dying night that was creeping its way into the rooms of the house.

I pointed, indicating to the two vampires that I was going to need to go upstairs.

"Not yet, child." Peter's voice was so low that there was no chance James would have heard. "Wait until he's distracted…" I saw that glint in Peter's eye again.

He took the lead then, gently pushing past Charlotte as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Protective oaf."

I couldn't believe that they would both still joke at a moment like this. It was so, so…vampire-ish. I found myself smiling with them, although I was dreading what was about follow.

I didn't realise I had my eyes closed until I heard James speak.

"Who…who are you?" I would never be able to forget that Southern drawl; it would haunt me for the rest of my life.

"We are you're death, child." Charlotte spoke in a soft, seductive voice. "You have lay harm on somebody we hold precious, and for that you must be silenced forever, never again to do the same to another…"

I bolted up the stairs; I didn't want to hear the rest of this. I ran into James' guest room, reaching out for the light switch but thinking again, I didn't want to attract attention to the house and the first shimmers of dawn were settling, allowing enough light into the room for me to see. We needed to be quick, I didn't want Peter and Charlotte caught out in the sunlight although I was sure they knew when it would no longer be safe for them to be outside.

I grabbed my things off the bed, stuffing them as quickly as I could into my bag and pulling on a pair of pants at the same time, feeling the shards of glass in my legs scrapping against the fabric. They would have to come out, and soon. I fumbled around, trying to find my shoes and then remembered I had left them in the hallway.

I rushed as quickly as I could to retrieve them, holding my breath in a hope that it would somehow shield me from what was going on behind the closed door. I could hear muffled noises and it all became too much, I fled, barefoot, although this time I had my shoes with me at least.

Like Charlotte had instructed I waited by the large weeping tree, counting the seconds until they came outside. Three hundred seconds later they emerged, looking bountiful with their kill. If I thought their eyes had been red before I was sadly mistaken. As they got closer I could see the bright blood blazing through me and I gasped. Peter let out a chuckle.

"Don't be alarmed, Bella. Jasper looked like this once upon a time."

Charlotte playfully smacked Peter around the back of the head. I had never thought that none vegetarian vampires would be so…human. After my experience with a tracker last year I had imagined all nomads to be savages and was pleased for these two to show me otherwise. They reminded me so much of Jasper and Alice that I couldn't help but smile.

"Ignore him." Charlotte's voice was lined with false anger. "Now, child, lets get you sorted."

Peter smiled, handing me a bundle of green. Money, and lots of it.

"We found this lying around in there." He pointed back towards the house. "We thought you might think it…useful."

"What? I…I. can't take that!"

"Why ever not, dear? You're welfare is the least that scum could provide for you."

"You make a point there" I spoke with a grin and took the money, shoving it in the bottle of my bag.

"Oh, Bella?"

"Yes, Peter?"

"Well done for the job with the bottle."

That dangerous blush crept back up to my face and looking from the ground to reply I realised that my rescuers had vanished.

"Peter? Charlotte?"

My answer was nothing more than a ghostly chuckle from the fresh morning air.


	6. Help

"_Oh, Bella?"_

"_Yes, Peter?" _

"_Well done for the job with the bottle." _

_That dangerous blush crept back up to my face and looking from the ground to reply I realised that my rescuers had vanished. _

"_Peter? Charlotte?" _

_My answer was nothing more than a ghostly chuckle from the fresh morning air. _

I stood on James' front yard, my bag containing the money at my feet. Peter and Charlotte were long gone, of this I was certain. And something else I was certain of was that I needed to find a place to buy medical supplies. If the glass embedded into my legs stayed there any longer there was no doubt it would become infected.

If I was in this alone then I'd need to sort my problems out alone.

I pulled my shoes on, took a deep breath and remembering the sounds of cars and trucks, headed in the same direction that I had ran only hours earlier.

I had been walking only for about an hour when it became abundantly clear to me that the glass scrapping against my jeans was the very least of my problems.

My mouth felt like I had spent the previous day eating sand and every attempt I made to memorise a landmark, take in my surroundings or even just think of a plan of action was interrupted with an image of water. A running tap followed by a flowing crystal lake then the deep blue of the ocean until finally I had had enough and fell onto a patch of grass at the edge of the sidewalk. I wanted so badly to just lie back and feel the soft earth against my skin but my mind and body were refusing me. My legs kept twitching as if telling me to carry on, but I fought until I found myself staring up at the first clouds of the day.

Just as my eyelids began to droop and the first signs of much needed sleep began to show themselves a voice that contrasted so severely to the calm morning rang out.

"What the hell are you doing on my lawn, girl?!"

I shot up, the blood rushing to my head as I did so and the world around me turning into a dizzy blur. I felt a hand on my shoulder and a rush of breeze against my skin as I was forcefully faced in the other direction. Looking up a saw a woman, I guessed she was in her late forties and she had the most crazed look in her eyes that I had ever seen from man or beast.

"I…I…I'm sorry! I didn't realise! I just needed to sit down…only for a second…I didn't mean any harm."

The way the woman stared at me brought tears of absolute terror to my eyes, yet at the same time I wanted to laugh out loud like never before. Was everybody in this place a loony or was I just attracting the wrong kind of attention?

"Oh! Well why didn't you say so?!" her tone was grim and sarcastic, her face spreading into a leering smile, showing off her blackened, tobacco stained teeth, or at least what was left of them.

She dragged me up off the floor. She was three times the size of me, broad and square shouldered and she was pulling me into the direction of her open front door. I dug my feet into the ground, after last night the very thought of going into a strangers house was more than I could bear.

"What's the matter little girl? Didn't you just say you wanted to sit down? Well! I got seats you know!"

"No! No! Really, its okay…I was just about to get up and go anyway! Don't worry…really…don't…"

It was hopeless, I was exhausted and my body just didn't have the strength to fight this mammoth lunatic. The woman laughed as she pushed me and the force sent me flying into her house. Following in behind me she slammed the door shut and as I stood facing into the cold empty hallway I heard the unmistakable sound of a key being turned in its lock.

*********************************************************************

"OUCH! Holy COW that _hurts!_"

The woman, Jackie, or Wacky Jackie as she had told me the neighbourhood kids call her, laughed a bellowing laugh. She seemed to be enjoying removing the glass from my legs more than was really necessary. It turned out that despite her outward craziness she was a kind and hospitable woman. I had been in her house for just over an hour according to the clock mounted on the bare wall and already she had fed and watered me and was now tending to my legs with a pair of tweezers and a bottle of alcoholic solution.

"Ha-ha! Suck it up little girl, there ain't much left anywho!"

She worked with the tweezers in silence for a couple of moments, pulling out another shard of glass. I winced and sucked in a breath.

"Now, I hope you don' mind me asking, but as I got the decency to be fixing you up here, perhaps you gonna tell me how you managed this…"

"Err, I fell."

"There just happened to be a pile of glass for you to fall on, eh?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

I knew it was a miserable excuse, but there was nothing else I could think of. Besides, if this was back home then nobody would even blink an eye at the reasoning. Clumsy little Bella falling onto the only pile of glass in the immediate area would just cause a raised eyebrow and a few giggles.

"What were you doin' to have found yourself in a place to fall onto said glass?"

"Running."

"From what?"

"Nothing. I was just running. Then I tripped. It's not a big deal."

"Hmm."

Jackie rubbed some of the solution onto one of the wounds and I winced. To be honest, that stuff hurt more than the glass being pulled out.

"You not from round here?" she continued. I wished she wouldn't.

"No. I'm from Arizona."

"You a long way from home then, that's for sure."

"Yup." I couldn't think of any other answer.

"You gonna tell me your name or what?"

"It's err…Ella."

"Well then, Ella. You all glass free at least."

"Thanks. I appreciate it. Really, I do."

"Don' think nothin' of it. Least I could do."

Jackie pulled me onto my feet and handed me my jeans.

"You lucky they didn' get stained."

I gingerly put them back on, feeling the denim rub against the raw skin. It hurt like hell, but at least I didn't look like a walking pin cushion anymore.

Something about the woman made me want to stay with her, but I knew I would have to get moving soon. However, there was something I had to do before I could do anything else. The silence in the room was deafening and awkward, at least it seemed that way to me. I had to say something. Anything…

_Just ask her Bella._

"Erm, Jackie. I don't suppose you could tell me the nearest place to get a cut and colour could you?"

Jackie eyed me suspiciously.

"What you be wantin' your hair done for?"

"Oh, you know. Just fancy a change of look…" the words trailed off and I wished I could take them back.

"You on the run from the law, Ella?" she asked, her voice displayed no hint of fear, it was as if this was a perfectly normal question for her to ask. "Cuz if you are, I can help, you can trust Jackie, she ain' gonna say nothin' to nobody."

"No! Well…not from the police anyway…not quite." I took a deep breath. She said I could trust her. And I thought I could. But I was refusing to go with my better judgement. After what had happened with James, I wasn't sure I could trust my own instincts anymore.

"Not quite?" she asked.

But when I was in a situation like this, I needed to take risks, didn't I? I took a huge risk with James, so why couldn't I do the same thing with Jackie.

_Hell with it_.

"My Dad's a chief of police."

Jackie looked at me for a long moment, then realisation dawned on her, I saw it flit across her eyes for the briefest of seconds.

"You ran away from home? That what you trying to tell me Ella?"

"That sums it up."

"What you runnin' away for though? Nobody hurt you did they?" Jackie said this like she cared, as if she hadn't only just found me laying on her lawn but had known me for years.

"No."

"You sure, girl?"

"Yes. No. I don't really want to talk about it…"

"Well I ain' gonna force it outta you, but I'll do my best to help. You want a cut and colour, I can do that for ya."

Jackie turned suddenly and began to walk towards the stairs. I heard her huge body heave itself to the second floor where she began to bang things about. I could just make out the sound of her cursing.

When she reappeared she was holding a towel and a small cardboard box in one hand and a pair of shiny hairdressing scissors in the other. She gestured for me to sit back down and threw the towel over my shoulders.

"I been doin' my own hair for years. I don' like to get out much anymore, get too many stares…but when I was a young'un I use to love nothin' better than sitting in the salon gettin' my hair done!" she chuckled, the sound sad and wistful as if she were reminiscing about a life she could no longer live.

She placed the small box on my lap and I realised it was a do it yourself hair dying kit. I picked it up for a closer look and read the side of the box;

"_Permanent hair dye. Perfect coverage, even on greys! _

_Colour: Red Brown." _

"That shade okay for ya, Ella? I fancied it myself not long ago but changed my mind after I brought it, seems I got a use for it after all!"

"Yeah, it's fine. Looks really nice actually."

And that wasn't a lie. Looking at the picture of the model on the front with her hair the colour of the dye I couldn't help but admire. It was a shade of natural looking dark red with highlights that appeared almost copper. Whether or not it would turn out like that for me was a different story all together though.

Jackie took the box from me and tore it open. I heard her mumbling the instructions to herself as she pulled on the pair of plastic gloves that came with the dye. She picked two bottles out of the box and mixed one into the other, giving it a good shake.

"You ready, girl?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

I felt the cold, wetness of the dye as it made contact with my scalp. It smelled strongly of chemicals and after a few minutes of Jackie working it through my hair I began to feel dizzy from the stench.

"You gotta leave that on for twenty minutes, then it's gotta be washed out."

It was almost afternoon by the time Jackie was finished with me. My hair was now the beautiful red that the box had promised and was cut to just above my shoulders. Jackie had even blow dried it straight for me. I was impressed, even if I had been a little apprehensive to start with. I wondered why I'd never thought of doing this before, it felt wonderful.

"Wow, Jackie, this looks amazing! Thank you!"

"It ain't meant to be a treat, Ella." She looked grave as she spoke.

"I know, but still…you've done a great job…I just wish there was a way of thanking you."

Without thinking my hand shot into my bag and I pulled out some of the money, handing it to Jackie.

"Take this, please." I pushed the fist full of money at her.

"Now, girl, I ain't gonna go takin' your money! You need that!"

"Please, I want you to. You've helped me so much and I have no other way of repaying you. At least use it to buy another bottle of dye." I smiled at her.

"No."

"Please?"

"Fine." Jackie reached out and took the notes from me. "I just wanna know one more thing…"

Momentary panic took over me before she spoke again.

"Where you goin' to next?"

I looked down at the floor.

"I really don't know. I'm just going to keep on moving."

"If it helps, there's a bus station about ten miles from here. I can tell you how to get there if you want…"

*********************************************************************

I heaved a breath and clutched at my chest. If I let go my heart would fall into my stomach. While I had been in Jackie's company I had been able to think of my search for Edward as little more than an adventure. A perfectly normal thing. But now Jackie was gone and I was alone and the thoughts of Edward came flooding back like a tidal wave of raw anguish, ripping at my insides with a churning I imagined would be equivalent to drinking acid.

I thought of Peter and Charlotte. Where had they gone? Would they try and track down Jasper and tell him I was searching for them? As much as I wished they would, the thought caused hot tears to roll down my cheeks. If the Cullen's knew I was looking for them, would they stay or move on?

I thought I knew the answer to that.

_They would leave_.

I saw with perfect clarity the look of sheer anger on Edwards face as Jasper told him the news. I heard his velvet voice swear to live the life of a nomad, to move from place to place day after day if it was the only thing that would keep me from finding him.

A sob escaped and I bit down on my lower lip, holding myself together even tighter. I needed alcohol. I needed to numb the pain, make it all go away.

I looked out of the window of the bus and watched as the cars on the I-45 overtook us. I saw a sign;

**HOUSTON 20 MILES**

In that exact moment the realisation hit me like a bolt of electricity. I knew where I had to go. It was so obvious, had been staring me in the face for so long but I had been too blind to see. Suddenly, the journey was taking too long, I silently begged for the driver to speed up. I wished there would be a way for him to hear inside my head. Hear me silently screaming at him to break the speed limit.

_Please, just me to Houston_.

The first stop on what would be the most gruelling journey of my life.

But it would be worth it, because I knew Edward would be there.

My hope grew with every crawling mile.

I knew that every second, I was getting closer and closer to Denali.


End file.
